Festivals & Events

Venice
is home to quite a number of year-round festivals and events. For
starters, the year opens with the Regata delle Befana, the first
regatta of the lagoon city for the year.

February is the month when one of the much-awaited
Venetian events is held. The Venice Carnival revives the colourful
masquerade balls and costume parties that took place in 18th century.
Processions, masked balls, and other age-old Venetian traditions
are held, and this celebration has been known to date back to the
13th century. Most of the city's landmarks, such as St. Mark's
Square, the campi, the city's various theatres, explode in
colour and music, complete with theatrical performances, dances
and acrobatic shows.

Another major festival is the Venice Biennale,
which is held every two years — specifically, every odd-numbered
year — and is the venue for all things cultural in Venice.
It begins in June and ends in November. Every form of art is represented
in the various events and exhibits. Films, visual arts, dance, contemporary
music, architecture — you name it, the Biennale is sure to
have a place for it.

The Venice Film Festival, or the Mostra Internazionale
d'Arte Cinematografica, meanwhile, is probably the oldest
film festival to date. This annual affair is held usually in August
to September. Screenings are held in cinemas throughout Venice,
with a concentration in the Lido area.

The Venezia Suona is held in July every year,
and forms part of the European Fete dela Musique. Most musical genres
are represented, and the city comes alive and vibrant during this
time.